Serial data encoder

Claim 1

A serial Reed-Solomon data encoder for a code having n symbols including k message symbols and r redundant symbols, each symbol having m bits, comprising an adder having two inputs and an output, means for selectively applying m bits of a message symbol to one input of said adder, register means for selectively storing an output from said adder, a multiplier having two inputs and an output, means for applying the contents of said register means as one input to said multiplier, coefficient generator means for providing Reed-Solomon generator polynomial coefficients, means for applying coefficients from said coefficient generator means as another input to said multiplier, discrete time delay storage means for storing r-1 symbols and having an input and an output, means for selectively applying the output of said multiplier to said input of said discrete time delay storage means, means for applying said output of said discrete time delays storage means to the other input to said adder, means for selectively applying the output of said multiplier to said one input of said adder, means for selectively applying said output of said adder to said input to said discrete time delay storage means, and output means for redundant checks connected to the output of said register means, whereby an m bit message symbol is applied once every r clock cycles, and r additions and r multiplications are performed for every r clock cycles thereby serializing multiplications and additions in executing the Reed-Solomon code on each m bit message symbol.